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Vasant More as VBA candidate makes it triangular fight in Pune
VBA late on Tuesday evening announced former MNS leader Vasant More as the party nominee for Pune parliamentary seat
Pune: The Vanchit Bahujan Agadhi (VBA) late on Tuesday evening announced former Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Vasant More as the party nominee for Pune parliamentary seat.
After More’s nomination, the Pune contest is likely to be a three-cornered fight with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Murlidhar Mohol and Congress’ Ravindra Dhangekar also in the fray.
Interestingly, the VBA has decided not to field any candidate in neighbouring Baramati constituency and back Supriya Sule’s candidature, according to the announcement by VBA Maharashtra state president Rekha Thakur.
In Baramati, Sule is locked in a fight against Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra Pawar. The VBA support to Sule is likely to avoid division of votes for NCP (SCP) candidate.
More, who was keen to contest the Lok Sabha polls from Pune, met VBA leader Prakash Ambedkar in Mumbai on Friday. After the meeting, he termed the talks as “positive”.
After his nomination, More said, “I thank VBA leader Prakash Ambedkar for backing my candidature.”
More is likely to formally join the VBA on April 4. More, a three-time PMC corporator with huge supporters in Katraj, the southern part of the city, quit MNS on March 13. He had earlier successfully contested the assembly polls from Khadakwasla seat. In 2019, Anil Jadhav of VBA had garnered 64,000 votes even as he lost polls in Pune Lok Sabha seat.
More, a Maratha community member, had recently met pro-quota candidate Manoj Jarange, seeking his support. He also met leaders of various parties, including Sharad Pawar and Supriya Sule of NCP (SCP), Mohan Joshi of Congress, and Sanjay Raut of Shiv Sena (UBT). However, as the other parties could not assure him candidature, More sought VBA’s support and will now be joining the party officially.
The VBA may not have a dedicated cadre in Pune. However, it enjoys support among the economically and socially downtrodden class. More joining the fray may lead to division of votes, which according to political observers, may help BJP’s Mohol.
Besides More’s nomination, the VBA also announced Avinash Bosikar for Nanded, Babasaheb Ugale for Parbhani, Afsar Khan for Aurangabad, and Mangaldas Bandal for Shirur. In Shirur, entry of Bandal may turn the contest triangular with Ajit Pawar-led NCP Shivajirao Adhalrao and NCP (SCP) Amol Kolhe also in the fray.
